BECKLEY, W. Va. — A child advocacy organization in southern West Virginia reported this week that they have seen a 25% increase in child abuse cases referred to their office over the past year, with the majority of those cases involving sexual abuse.
Just for Kids Child Advocacy Center, which serves Raleigh, Fayette, and Wyoming Counties, conducted over 400 interviews since last summer. Executive Director Scott Miller told MetroNews affiliate WJLS the ongoing drug epidemic is contributing to the problem.
“We have heard, and we have interviewed a number of children who were being sold by their parents so that they could purchase drugs, so that clearly is an issue. Whether its increased from the past, we don’t know because we don’t look at the statistics that closely for why (the incidents are occuring). We’re here to support the kids and help them reduce the trauma that they’ve experienced,” said Miller.
Miller also said the drug problem has resulted in an increase in the number children who have been emotionally affected by the types of violence typically associated with illegal narcotics trafficking. “We are seeing more children who are witnesses to violent crime. Some of that’s domestic abuse. Again, some of that’s drug-related, people coming into their homes and getting violent with them, and children witnessing that.”
Just for Kids is part of a state network of 21 child advocacy centers which coordinate their efforts with local law enforcement, medical professionals, and child protective services workers.